Butterflies of Cuba
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    • Species List >
      • Papilionidae : Papilioninae >
        • Battus devilliers - De Villiers' Swallowtail
        • Battus polydamas - Polydamas Swallowtail
        • Heraclides andraemon - Bahaman Swallowtail
        • Heraclides androgeus - Androgeus Swallowtail
        • Heraclides caiguanabus - Poey's Swallowtail
        • Heraclides oviedo - Oviedo's Swallowtail
        • Heraclides oxynius - Cuban Black Swallowtail
        • Heraclides pelaus - Pelaus Swallowtail
        • Heraclides ponceana - Dusky Swallowtail
        • Neographium celadon - Cuban Kite Swallowtail
        • Papilio demoleus - Lime Swallowtail
        • Papilio polyxenes - Black Swallowtail
        • Parides gundlachianus - Gundlach's Swallowtail
        • Pterourus palamedes - Palamedes Swallowtail
        • Pterourus troilus - Spicebush Swallowtail
      • Hesperiidae : Eudaminae >
        • Aguna asander - Gold-spotted Aguna
        • Aguna claxon - Emerald Aguna
        • Autochton potrillo - Potrillo Skipper
        • Cecropterus dorantes - Dorantes Longtial
        • Chioides marmorosa - Cuban Longtail
        • Epargyreus zestos - Zestos Skipper
        • Phocides pigmalion - Mangrove Skipper
        • Polygonus leo - Hammock Skipper
        • Proteides maysi - May's Skipper
        • Proteides mercurius - Cuban Mercurial Skipper
        • Telegonus anausis - Caribbean Yellow-tipped Flasher
        • Telegonus cassander - Cuban Flasher
        • Telegonus cellus - Golden-banded Skipper
        • Telegonus habana - Frosty Flasher
        • Telegonus talus - Green Flasher
        • Telegonus xagua - Antillean Flasher
        • Urbanus proteus - Common Long-tailed Skipper
      • Hesperiidae : Hesperiinae >
        • Asbolis capucinus - Monk Skipper
        • Atalopedes mesogramma - Mesogramma Skipper
        • Calpodes ethlius - Canna Skipper
        • Carystoides mexicana - Mexican Ruby-eye
        • Choranthus radians - Radians Skipper
        • Cymaenes tripunctus - Three-spotted Skipper
        • Euphyes cornelius - Cornelius Skipper
        • Euphyes singularis - Singularis Skipper
        • Holguinia holguin - Holguin Skipper
        • Hylephila phyleus - Fiery Skipper
        • Lerodea eufala - Eufala Skipper
        • Nyctelius nyctelius - Violet-banded Skipper
        • Oarisma bruneri - Bruner's Skipperling
        • Oarisma nanus - Nanus Skipperling
        • Panoquina corrupta - Corrupt Skipper
        • Panoquina lucas - Purple-washed Skipper
        • Panoquina ocola - Ocola Skipper
        • Panoquina panoquinoides - Obscure Skipper
        • Parachoranthus magdalia - Magdalia Skipper
        • Perichares philetes - Caribbean Ruby-eye
        • Polites baracoa - Baracoa Skipper
        • Pyrrhocalles antiqua - Caribbean Skipper
        • Rhinthon cubana - Cuban Rhinthon
        • Saliana esperi - Perching Saliana
        • Synapte malitiosa - Caribbean Faceted Skipper
        • Wallengrenia misera - Cuban Broken-dash
      • Hesperiidae : Pyrginae >
        • Anastrus sempiternus - Common Anastrus
        • Burca braco - Braco Skipper
        • Burca concolor - Concolorous Skipper
        • Burca cubensis - Cuban Skipper
        • Burnsius crisia - Antillean Checkered Skipper
        • Burnsius oileus - Tropical Checkered Skipper
        • Chiomara gundlachi - Gundlach's Duskywing
        • Eantis munroei - Munroe's Sicklewing
        • Eantis papinianus - Cuban Sicklewing
        • Ephyriades brunnea - Florida Duskywing
        • Ephyriades zephodes - Zephodes Duskywing
        • Erynnis zarucco - Zarucco Skipper
        • Gesta gesta - Impostor Duskywing
        • Ouleus fridericus - Fridericus Spreadwing
      • Pieridae : Colladinae >
        • Abaeis nicippe - Sleepy Orange
        • Anteos clorinde - White-angled Sulphur
        • Anteos maerula - Yellow-angled Sulphur
        • Colias eurytheme - Orange Sulphur
        • Eurema amelia - Cuban Yellow
        • Eurema boisduvaliana - Boisduval's Yellow
        • Eurema daira - Barred Yellow
        • Eurema elathea - Banded Yellow
        • Eurema lucina - Smudged Yellow
        • Kricogonia cabrerai - Cuban Sulphur
        • Kricogonia lyside - Lyside Sulphur
        • Nathalis iole - Dainty Sulphur
        • Phoebis agarithe - Large Orange Sulphur
        • Phoebis argante - Apricot Sulphur
        • Phoebis avellaneda - Orange-washed Sulphur
        • Phoebis neleis - Neleis Sulphur
        • Phoebis orbis - Orbis Sulphur
        • Phoebis philea - Orange-barred Sulphur
        • Phoebis sennae - Cloudless Sulphur
        • Phoebis statira - Statira Sulphur
        • Pyrisitia chamberlaini - Chamberlain's Yellow
        • Pyrisitia dina - Bush Sulphur
        • Pyrisitia larae - Confusing Yellow
        • Pyrisitia lisa - Little Yellow
        • Pyrisitia messalina - Whitish Yellow
        • Pyrisitia nise - Mimosa Yellow
        • Pyrisitia proterpia - Tailed Orange
        • Pyrisitia venusta - Pale Yellow
        • Zerene cesonia - Southern Dogface
      • Pieridae : Dismorphiinae >
        • Dismorphia cubana - Cuban Mimic-White
      • Pieridae : Pierinae >
        • Ascia monuste - Great Southern White
        • Ganyra menciae - Cuban White
        • Glutophrissa drusilla - Florida White
        • Melete salacia - Black-striped White
        • Pontia protodice - Checkered White
      • Riodinidae >
        • Dianesia carteri - Caribbean Metalmark
      • Lycaenidae : Polyommatinae >
        • Brephidium exilis - Pygmy Blue
        • Cupido comyntas - Eastern Tailed-Blue
        • Cyclargus ammon - Nickerbean Blue
        • Cyclargus thomasi - Miami Blue
        • Hemiargus ceraunus - Ceraunus Blue
        • Leptotes cassius - Cassius Blue
        • Leptotes hedgesi - Hedges' Blue
        • Pseudochrysops bornoi - Antillean Blue
      • Lycaenidae : Theclinae >
        • Allosmaitia coelebs - Cuban Hairstreak
        • Chlorostrymon maesites - Amethyst Hairstreak
        • Chlorostrymon simaethis - Silver-banded Hairstreak
        • Electrostrymon angelia - Fulvous Hairstreak
        • Eumaeus atala - Atala Hairstreak
        • Ministrymon azia - Grey Ministreak
        • Nesiostrymon celida - Caribbean Hairstreak
        • Strymon acis - Bartram's Scrub-Hairstreak
        • Strymon bazochii - Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak
        • Strymon istapa - Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak
        • Strymon limenia - Limenia Scrub-Hairstreak
        • Strymon martialis - Martial Scrub-Hairstreak
        • Strymon toussainti - Toussaint's Scrub-Hairstreak
      • Nymphalidae : Apaturinae >
        • Asterocampa idyja - Dusky Emperor
        • Doxocopa laure - Silver Emperor
      • Nymphalidae : Biblidinae >
        • Dynamine postverta - Mexican Sailor
        • Dynamine serina - Caribbean Sailor
        • Eunica heraclitus - Cuban Purplewing
        • Eunica monima - Dingy Purplewing
        • Eunica tatila - Florida Purplewing
        • Hamadryas amphinome - Red Cracker
        • Hamadryas februa - Gray Cracker
        • Hamadryas feronia - Variable Cracker
        • Lucinia sida - Caribbean Banner
      • Nymphalidae : Charaxinae >
        • Anaea cubana - Cuban Leafwing
        • Archaeoprepona demophoon - Two-spotted Prepona
        • Cymatogramma echemus - Chestnut Leafwing
        • Hypna clytemnestra - Silver-studded Leafwing
        • Siderone galanthis - Red-striped Leafwing
      • Nymphalidae : Cyrestinae >
        • Marpesia chiron - Many-banded Daggerwing
        • Marpesia eleuchea - Caribbean Daggerwing
      • Nymphalidae : Danainae >
        • Anetia briarea - Many-spotted King
        • Anetia cubana - Cuban King
        • Anetia pantherata - Great King
        • Danaus eresimus - Soldier
        • Danaus gilippus - Queen
        • Danaus plexippus - Monarch
        • Greta cubana - Cuban Clearwing
        • Lycorea halia - Tiger Mimic Queen
      • Nymphalidae : Heliconiinae >
        • Agraulis vanillae - Gulf Fritillary
        • Dryas iulia - Flambeau
        • Eueides isabella - Isabella's Heliconian
        • Euptoieta claudia - Variegated Fritillary
        • Euptoieta hegesia - Mexican Fritillary
        • Heliconius charithonia - Zebra Heliconian
      • Nymphalidae : Libytheinae >
        • Libytheana carinenta - American Snout
        • Libytheana motya - Cuban Snout
        • Libytheana terena - Antillean Snout
      • Nymphalidae Limenitinae >
        • Adelpha iphicleola - Iphicleola Sister
        • Limenitis archippus - Viceroy
      • Nymphalidae : Nymphalinae >
        • Anartia chrysopelea - Cuban Peacock
        • Anartia jatrophae - White Peacock
        • Anthanassa frisia - Cuban Crescent
        • Antillea pelops - Antillean Crescent
        • Atlantea perezi - Cuban Checkerspot
        • Colobura dirce - Mosaic
        • Historis acheronta - Tailed Cecropian
        • Historis odius - Stinky Leafwing
        • Hypanartia paullus - Antillean Mapwing
        • Hypolimnas misippus - The Mimic
        • Junonia coenia - Common Buckeye
        • Junonia neildi - Mangrove Buckeye
        • Junonia zonalis - Tropical Buckeye
        • Phyciodes phaon - Phaon Crescent
        • Polygonia interrogationis - Question Mark
        • Siproeta stelenes - Malachite
        • Vanessa atalanta - Red Admiral
        • Vanessa cardui - Painted Lady
        • Vanessa virginiensis - American Lady
      • Nymphalidae : Satyrinae >
        • Calisto aquilum - Cuban Dark Calisto
        • Calisto bradleyi - Bradley's Calisto
        • Calisto brochei - Broche's Calisto
        • Calisto bruneri - Bruner's Calisto
        • Calisto disjunctus - Western Cuban Calisto
        • Calisto dissimulatum - Mimic Calisto
        • Calisto gundlachi - Gandlach's Calisto
        • Calisto herophile - Cuban Common Calisto
        • Calisto israeli - Israel's Calisto
        • Calisto lastrai - Lastra's Calisto
        • Calisto muripetens - Guamuahaya Calisto
        • Calisto occulta - Hidden Calisto
        • Calisto sharkeyae - Sharkey's Calisto
        • Calisto siguanensis - Sand Calisto
        • Calisto smintheus - Cuban Rusty Calisto
        • Calisto torrei - Torre's Calisto
    • Download Species List
    • Thumbnails >
      • Papilionidae - Swallowtails
      • Hesperiidae - Skippers
      • Pieridae - Whites & Yellows
      • Riodinidae / Lycaenidae - Metalmarks, Hairstreaks & Blues
      • Nymphalidae - Nymphalids
    • Hostplants >
      • Picramnia pentrandra
      • Stachytarpheta jamaicensis
    • Other Wildlife >
      • Mammals
      • Reptiles
      • Amphibians
      • Birds
      • Odonata
      • Moths >
        • Tineoidea
        • Gelechioidea
        • Alucitoidea
        • Pterophoroidea
        • Schreckensteinioidea
        • Urodoidea
        • Choreutoidea
        • Tortricoidea
        • Sesioidea
        • Zygaenoidea
        • Pyraloidea
        • Lasiocampoidea
        • Bombicoidea
        • Geometroidea
        • Hedyloidea
        • Noctuoidea
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Day 2 - Fri 8 Jun 18 - Habana Botanic Garden

23/7/2018

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Picture
Cuban Blackbird 8 Jun 2018 Habana © Tim Norriss
There were more Cuban Martins around this morning than there had been last night and there seemed to be quite a bit of aggression perhaps caused by competition for nesting sites.
Cuban Martins 8 Jun 2018 Habana © Tim Norriss
Cuban Martins 8 Jun 2018 Habana © Tim Norriss
Cuban Martins 8 Jun 2018 Habana © Tim Norriss
As soon as our transport arrived we set off to pick up our friends Douglas and Rayner from in the city and set off to visit the Habana Botanic Gardens. We only had time for a short visit this time but it was worthwhile. A Gray Kingbird was holding territory and a pair of Northern Bobwhite was a new bird for me. Garrido and Kirkconnell (2000) say this is a common permanent resident in lowland areas. I think if it were common we would have seen it before.
Picture
Gray Kingbird 8 Jun 2018 Habana © Tim Norriss
There was quite a variety of butterflies in small numbers including Dainty Sulphur Nathalis iole, Cuban Crescent Anthanassa frisia and Phaon Crescent Phyciodes phaon. A damselfly proved to be a male Familiar Bluet Enellagma civile which we have seen once before
Familiar Bluet Enellagma civile 8 Jun 2018 Habana © Tim Norriss
Ceraunus Blue Hemiargus ceraunus 8 Jun 2018 Habana © Tim Norriss
Doug set off finding several larvae including a Barred Yellow Eurema daira which I had never seen before. There was a also a single Common Long-tailed Skipper Urbanus proteus and we searched an area of Costus spiralis and soon found several larvae and a pupa of Perching Saliana Saliana esperi.
Barred Yellow Eurema daira 8 Jun 2018 Habana © Tim Norriss
Barred Yellow Eurema daira larva on Aeschynomene americana 8 Jun 2018 Habana © Tim Norriss
Perching Saliana Saliana esperi larva 8 Jun 2018 Habana © Tim Norriss
Perching Saliana Saliana esperi larval shelter 8 Jun 2018 Habana © Tim Norriss
Common Long-tailed Skipper Urbanus proteus small larva 8 Jun 2018 Habana © Tim Norriss
Common Long-tailed Skipper Urbanus proteus small larval shelter on Desmodium sp 8 Jun 2018 Habana © Tim Norriss
Picture
Rayner, Lynn and Doug
It was soon time to say goodbye to Rayner and set off to the Escambray hills in the middle of the island where we would spend the next two weeks. Rayner told us that there had been a huge amount of rain in Cuba throughout May, much more than usual, and the Escambray area had been badly affected so not to expect too many butterflies. Apparently the main highway running east from Habana had been flooded and impassable for three days just two weeks ago so it must have been bad. But at least the countryside looked green. On the way our driver Raoul stopped for fuel twice at petrol stations on the main highway only to be told that they had run out. This is not uncommon and the taxi drivers learn to live with the inconvenience. He diverted to a small rural fuel pump that he knew of and filled up there.
Our first hotel was at Hanabanilla and when we were within half a mile of it there seemed to be a bit of traffic and quite a few people milling around. We were told that the road was flooded and that we would be taken there by boat. Last time we were here in March 2017 the water level was very low but had been raised quite a bit last October.
Picture
Lake Hanabanilla March 2017
The reservoir was created by the construction of a dam between 1958-1961. The hydroelectric power station was commissioned in 1963 and is the largest in the country. The reservoir was now at its highest level since it was constructed 60 years before. In fact it was full to overflowing, about 30 feet higher than when we had been here 15 months before. It had been constructed with overflows as a contingency to let water run safely back into the river valleys and Hotel Hanabanilla had been constructed above this overflow level but the access road was not. Everything now had to go in and out by boat.
9 Jun 2018
access road under water 9 Jun 2018
Hotel Hanabanilla 9 Jun 2018
9 Jun 2018
We got ourselves booked in at the hotel and went out for a short walk before dinner. As we walked outside Doug recognised the calls of Antillean Nighthawk overhead. The Cuban name Querequté is onomatopoeic and the calls can be heard at a considerable distance. There were several birds putting on a great show including one that seemed to be doing display dives over the hotel entrance. Its not often you see a bird flying upside down and to be fair this was photographed from below as the bird did a dramatic turn into a dive so its not really upside down - just appears so. Absolutely captivating and having got to know the calls we went on to see them every evening of our holiday.
Antillean Nighthawk 8 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
Antillean Nighthawk 8 Jun 2018 Hanabanilla © Tim Norriss
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Day 1 - Thurs 7 Jun 18 - Habana

23/7/2018

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Our flight left Gatwick at 10.30am and arrived at Habana at 3pm local time. On previous occasions it had taken an age to get through Habana airport caused by long delays at security and painfully slow unloading of luggage. On this occasion however we were very pleasantly surprised and we were out of the airport with luggage in record time by 4pm. We were collected and transferred to the BeLive Copacabana Hotel in the city.
I spent a while photographing the Cuban Martins that were nesting under the broken roof panels. The light wasn't great by this time and my attempts at flight photography were poor so I concentrated on a male that came and landed on the stair balcony wall below. These birds are summer endemics ie they breed only on Cuba but spend the winter in S America. Whilst the males are all dark, the females have a brown throat and and a pale unstreaked breast and belly.
Cuban Martin Progne cryptoleuca male 7 Jun 2018 Habana © Tim Norriss
Cuban Martin Progne cryptoleuca male 7 Jun 2018 Habana © Tim Norriss
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Website access denied from Cuba

2/7/2018

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While we were over in Cuba I was told by a Cuban friend that he was unable to access this website recently and he asked if I knew why. I didn't, it was working fine here in England before we left but when I tried it over there it simply timed out. When I got back I thought I would contact Weebly to see if they knew why. I half expected them to say that it must be Cuba that was blocking traffic but in fact they came back and said "I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing this problem. For security reasons, Weebly has made a decision to block traffic from a number of countries. I'm sorry this happened out of the blue and is affecting your site. We did not mean to harm good sites in this process. Unfortunately, at this time, we don't have a way to bypass the block for individual accounts."
Weebly is an American company and I can only take this response at face value as being the genuine sole reason for the blocking of traffic. I'm sure it is though I did wonder for a moment whether politics might be playing a little part here. Either way it is a real shame as quite a few Cuban people have used the site in the past (it has been used unhindered for the last three years) but will now no longer be able to unless Weebly can develop a way to bypass the block for individual websites like this.
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